Leicestershire sign Sarwan for 2012 season

Ramnaresh Sarwan, the former West Indies captain, has signed as Leicestershire's overseas player for the 2012 season. He will join the county for the entire season, subject to gaining clearance from the West Indian Cricket Board and a UK work permit. He will be a part of Leicestershire's pre-season tour of Barbados in mid-March, before flying to the UK.

Sarwan has not been a part of the West Indies setup since the home series against India in June 2011, and has not played any cricket since then due to confusion over his fitness. The Guyana Cricket Board left Sarwan out of their squad for the Caribbean T20, saying they were unsure of his fitness, but Sarwan criticised the board, saying he was fit and had informed the board of that. Sarwan has also had his differences with the WICB in the past.

Leicestershire have had Australia allrounder Andrew McDonald as their overseas player in the Championship at various stages of the past two seasons, but McDonald has not played for Australia since 2009 and hence cannot get a work permit to play in England. Sarwan, who has previously played for Gloucestershire, will be his replacement.

"We are delighted to have completed the signing of Ramnaresh Sarwan," Leicestershire chief-executive Mike Siddall said. "He has an impressive Test record and his availability to play all forms of the game for us during the 2012 season is an added bonus. We wanted to sign an experienced overseas batsman and Ronnie certainly fits the bill."

I wish Sarwan all the best for the future. It's unfortunate that he's fallen foul with both the Windies and Guyana Board. The rumour-mill is that he didn't think he needed to improve his fitness, because of his status as a established player. Not sure how much truth is in that, but with younger-guys being the focus and the WI Board having the aura of a bunch of strict head-masters at school, seems to have taken it upon themselves to make a clean-sweep of the senior players. I'd like to see Sarwan back in the Windies squad, he still has a few years left in him and i consider him the best player of spin, we have in the caribbean.

PaddyRasta
on February 13, 2012, 7:39 GMT

Sarwan is one of the few class WI batsmen. The mere fact that he has picked up this contract says that. He is one of only 6 batsmen in the entire WI that has a 1st class average of 40 or more. Only the estranged Gayle, Chanders, Barath, Bravo and Kirk Edwards "pass" in terms of this defacto standard. The HPC youngsters are yet to prove that they can prosper at regional level let alone international Test level. I seriously hope that Sars can rediscover the form and passion for the game that seems to have been sucked out of him by the current WI administration. WI badly need him to.

Metman
on February 11, 2012, 14:37 GMT

@cricketdebator ! Well said ! Let him' play act ' on the county scene.

vincy4ever
on February 11, 2012, 11:58 GMT

The question was always going to be- how long can a player of Sarwan's class remain in the wilderness. Looks like he contributed to his own downfall but the pompous members of the Board who lack any leadership skills were mostly to blame and of course the bowling coach who was promoted beyond his abilities. Good luck Sarwan, guess this is the last chance. Make all you fans happy!

dummy4fb
on February 11, 2012, 2:13 GMT

Good luck & best wishes to Ramnaresh Sarwan. he is a talented player who has the ability to score many runs for Leicestershire. He still posess the ability to play at the highest level of the game; His future is in his hands as far as cricket goes.

dummy4fb
on February 11, 2012, 0:38 GMT

I don't feel the same without sarwan in west indies side..after all he has had more success that failure for west indies cricket unlike other players

cricketdebator
on February 10, 2012, 21:34 GMT

Good for Sarwan. Let him concentrate on playing county cricket. As far as playing for WI again is concerned, he is finished. We are happy to concentrate on, and invest in our present crop of younger batmen.

bamoo
on February 10, 2012, 21:22 GMT

Sarwan grate for u son, show those ppl in wi your class , i am happy now u r not playing for gy...i think u will be come the #one batsman in world cricket because when u finesh in the english leauge, wi would have to pick u...best of luck guy.

SirViv1973
on February 10, 2012, 20:11 GMT

Hope Sarwan does well for the foxes. He's been around a long time but he's still only 30 and hopefully still has a future with Windies, glad he's signed as an overseas player and not on a Kolpak

Silva-Surfa
on February 13, 2012, 13:02 GMT

I wish Sarwan all the best for the future. It's unfortunate that he's fallen foul with both the Windies and Guyana Board. The rumour-mill is that he didn't think he needed to improve his fitness, because of his status as a established player. Not sure how much truth is in that, but with younger-guys being the focus and the WI Board having the aura of a bunch of strict head-masters at school, seems to have taken it upon themselves to make a clean-sweep of the senior players. I'd like to see Sarwan back in the Windies squad, he still has a few years left in him and i consider him the best player of spin, we have in the caribbean.

PaddyRasta
on February 13, 2012, 7:39 GMT

Sarwan is one of the few class WI batsmen. The mere fact that he has picked up this contract says that. He is one of only 6 batsmen in the entire WI that has a 1st class average of 40 or more. Only the estranged Gayle, Chanders, Barath, Bravo and Kirk Edwards "pass" in terms of this defacto standard. The HPC youngsters are yet to prove that they can prosper at regional level let alone international Test level. I seriously hope that Sars can rediscover the form and passion for the game that seems to have been sucked out of him by the current WI administration. WI badly need him to.

Metman
on February 11, 2012, 14:37 GMT

@cricketdebator ! Well said ! Let him' play act ' on the county scene.

vincy4ever
on February 11, 2012, 11:58 GMT

The question was always going to be- how long can a player of Sarwan's class remain in the wilderness. Looks like he contributed to his own downfall but the pompous members of the Board who lack any leadership skills were mostly to blame and of course the bowling coach who was promoted beyond his abilities. Good luck Sarwan, guess this is the last chance. Make all you fans happy!

dummy4fb
on February 11, 2012, 2:13 GMT

Good luck & best wishes to Ramnaresh Sarwan. he is a talented player who has the ability to score many runs for Leicestershire. He still posess the ability to play at the highest level of the game; His future is in his hands as far as cricket goes.

dummy4fb
on February 11, 2012, 0:38 GMT

I don't feel the same without sarwan in west indies side..after all he has had more success that failure for west indies cricket unlike other players

cricketdebator
on February 10, 2012, 21:34 GMT

Good for Sarwan. Let him concentrate on playing county cricket. As far as playing for WI again is concerned, he is finished. We are happy to concentrate on, and invest in our present crop of younger batmen.

bamoo
on February 10, 2012, 21:22 GMT

Sarwan grate for u son, show those ppl in wi your class , i am happy now u r not playing for gy...i think u will be come the #one batsman in world cricket because when u finesh in the english leauge, wi would have to pick u...best of luck guy.

SirViv1973
on February 10, 2012, 20:11 GMT

Hope Sarwan does well for the foxes. He's been around a long time but he's still only 30 and hopefully still has a future with Windies, glad he's signed as an overseas player and not on a Kolpak

No featured comments at the moment.

SirViv1973
on February 10, 2012, 20:11 GMT

Hope Sarwan does well for the foxes. He's been around a long time but he's still only 30 and hopefully still has a future with Windies, glad he's signed as an overseas player and not on a Kolpak

bamoo
on February 10, 2012, 21:22 GMT

Sarwan grate for u son, show those ppl in wi your class , i am happy now u r not playing for gy...i think u will be come the #one batsman in world cricket because when u finesh in the english leauge, wi would have to pick u...best of luck guy.

cricketdebator
on February 10, 2012, 21:34 GMT

Good for Sarwan. Let him concentrate on playing county cricket. As far as playing for WI again is concerned, he is finished. We are happy to concentrate on, and invest in our present crop of younger batmen.

dummy4fb
on February 11, 2012, 0:38 GMT

I don't feel the same without sarwan in west indies side..after all he has had more success that failure for west indies cricket unlike other players

dummy4fb
on February 11, 2012, 2:13 GMT

Good luck & best wishes to Ramnaresh Sarwan. he is a talented player who has the ability to score many runs for Leicestershire. He still posess the ability to play at the highest level of the game; His future is in his hands as far as cricket goes.

vincy4ever
on February 11, 2012, 11:58 GMT

The question was always going to be- how long can a player of Sarwan's class remain in the wilderness. Looks like he contributed to his own downfall but the pompous members of the Board who lack any leadership skills were mostly to blame and of course the bowling coach who was promoted beyond his abilities. Good luck Sarwan, guess this is the last chance. Make all you fans happy!

Metman
on February 11, 2012, 14:37 GMT

@cricketdebator ! Well said ! Let him' play act ' on the county scene.

PaddyRasta
on February 13, 2012, 7:39 GMT

Sarwan is one of the few class WI batsmen. The mere fact that he has picked up this contract says that. He is one of only 6 batsmen in the entire WI that has a 1st class average of 40 or more. Only the estranged Gayle, Chanders, Barath, Bravo and Kirk Edwards "pass" in terms of this defacto standard. The HPC youngsters are yet to prove that they can prosper at regional level let alone international Test level. I seriously hope that Sars can rediscover the form and passion for the game that seems to have been sucked out of him by the current WI administration. WI badly need him to.

Silva-Surfa
on February 13, 2012, 13:02 GMT

I wish Sarwan all the best for the future. It's unfortunate that he's fallen foul with both the Windies and Guyana Board. The rumour-mill is that he didn't think he needed to improve his fitness, because of his status as a established player. Not sure how much truth is in that, but with younger-guys being the focus and the WI Board having the aura of a bunch of strict head-masters at school, seems to have taken it upon themselves to make a clean-sweep of the senior players. I'd like to see Sarwan back in the Windies squad, he still has a few years left in him and i consider him the best player of spin, we have in the caribbean.